Some more thoughts on "Greater Expectations", Part2

Now, I am turning my attention to marriage. As I have said before, I can't claim to be an authority on marriage, having no experience...but I feel led to share what God has put on my heart and has been teaching me, as I've been reading many book on marriage, and on what God desires.

I believe that marriage is an extremely precious gift from God, and is a great, living illustration of Christ's love for us, His church, and bride. Ephesians 5:21-33 is a great passage on marriage. I pray every day that I can love like Christ loves, even as woefully inadequate as I am. I have faith that He can and will.

As I had said earlier, I believe that God's intentions for marriage are far more noble and exciting then the world's expectations. Not only is it a unique and very special way of glorifying God, which is our chief end in life, but it is also a means in which He makes us more like Himself.

We are all aware that marriage has many blessings, but I think that most of us don't expect to be precious and special all the time. Even many of the Christian book on the subject seem to expect that all marriages will have some serious problems, that it is unavoidable that you will have many troubles mixed in with the blessings.

I believe that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13, NIV). Call it youthful idealism, but I believe that marriage can be much better than most of us expect, that when we place our unwavering faith in God and put everything in His control, placing Him in the center, marriage can be so much better than what we can imagine.

I had mentioned earlier about how unconditional love is very important in marriage (And in life!) Putting your other first, serving and loving him or her as Christ loves us is a great challenge, but one that we can do through His strength. One verse that I like a lot is John 15:13: "No greater love has no man than this, that he lays down his life for his friends." (NIV) Not only is that how Christ loves us, but that is how I desire to love my future wife, as also laid out in Ephesians 5:25-29.

Where am I going with this? Simply that marriage can be so much better than we imagine if we put Christ first, and our (future) spouse second. I believe that marriage can be better than what we see. I have faith that God will be glorified in my future relationship, and that it will be greater than I can even imagine, as long as I continue to put Christ first, and love my future life as Christ loves us. I pray that I will be able to do that, to be a real man. This is a big part of being a warrior poet, particularly the poet part. We need to love others unconditionally.

With all this said, I challenge you to have greater expectations in your faith and in your (future) marriage. I pray that God will do some great things in us!


For Christ's Glory!